Can you reserve a site at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?

Yes, Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake) is reservable through Recreation.gov.

What is the maximum RV length at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?

159 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?

Yes, pets are allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake).

Are campfires allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?

Campfires are allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)

Campground · Iowa · 104 bookable sites ·

Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers

Rathbun Recreation Area (Recreation Area) · Open Access

104
Bookable sites: 159 ft
Max rig length: up to 24
People per site: 971 ft
Elevation

Overview

Bridgeview Park is located on beautiful Rathbun Lake, just 13 miles northwest of Centerville, Iowa. Camping, boating, swimming, fishing and picnicking are popular activities at this waterfront recreation area.

Recreation

The 11,000-acre lake provides a variety of fishing opportunities for any angler. Crappie, channel catfish, walleye and largemouth bass are most common.

Whether power boating or sailing, Rathbun Lake, also known as Iowa's Ocean, has something to offer everyone. In particular, the water's prevailing winds make it one of the best sailing lakes in Iowa.

Facilities

This large campground offers 106 family sites, 95 of which have electric hookups. A day-use group picnic shelter for up to 24 people is also available. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, a dump station, boat ramp, playground and horseshoe pits.

Natural Features

Rathbun Lake is situated in the gently rolling hills of the Chariton River Valley in southeast Iowa. The campground consists of open grassy areas dotted with trees.

Bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey, and other wildlife can be found at Rathbun Lake.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (641) 647-2464.

Nearby Attractions

Southern Iowa's only Off Highway Vehicle Park is just three miles from the campground. It is located on the south bank of the South Fork Chariton River and encompasses nearly 125 acres of an abandoned rock quarry.

The Rathbun Fish Hatchery is located near the main dam, and offers self-guided tours Monday through Friday year-round. Hundreds of thousands of catfish and walleye are produced here each year.

The facts

104 bookable sites
1 site for day use only
Vehicles up to 159 ft
Up to 24 people per site
Loops: BBIC, BCIR, BVSH

Site types

94 Standard Electric
9 Standard Nonelectric
1 Group Picnic Area

Amenities

Electric hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: water hookups, sewer hookups, grills.

Book on Recreation.gov

104 campsites at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)

Check-in 4:00 PM · Check-out 4:00 PM

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Max rig	People
F01	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	78 ft	8	🐾
F02	BBIC	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	159 ft	8	🐾
F03	BBIC	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	136 ft	8	🐾
F04	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	90 ft	8	🐾
F05	BBIC	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	79 ft	8	🐾
F06	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
F07	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	68 ft	8	🐾
F08	BBIC	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
F09	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	81 ft	8	🐾
F10	BBIC	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	78 ft	8	🐾
F11	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	78 ft	8	🐾
F12	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
F13	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	76 ft	8	🐾
F14	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
F15	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	82 ft	8	🐾
F16	BBIC	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
A01	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
A02	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	46 ft	8	🐾
A03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	74 ft	8	🐾
A04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
A05	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	62 ft	8	🐾
A06	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	8	🐾
A07	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
A08	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	62 ft	8	🐾
A09	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
A10	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
A11	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	64 ft	8	🐾
A12	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
A13	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	59 ft	8	🐾
A14	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
A15	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
A16	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	67 ft	8	🐾
A17	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
A18	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
A19	BCIR	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
A20	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	68 ft	8	🐾
A21	BCIR	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
A22	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	48 ft	8	🐾
B01	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
B02/03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	52 ft	16	🐾
B04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	48 ft	8	🐾
B05	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
B06	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
B07	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	52 ft	8	🐾
B08	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	54 ft	8	🐾
B09	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	54 ft	8	🐾
B10	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	52 ft	8	🐾
B11	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
B12	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	8	🐾
B13	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
B14	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	59 ft	8	🐾
B15	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	59 ft	8	🐾
B16	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
B17	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
B18	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	52 ft	8	🐾
B19	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	51 ft	8	🐾
B21	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
B22	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	49 ft	8	🐾
B23	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	47 ft	8	🐾
B24	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
H01	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
H02	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	66 ft	8	🐾
H03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
H04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	8	🐾
H05	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	48 ft	8	🐾
H06	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
H07	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	51 ft	8	🐾
H08	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	43 ft	8	🐾
H09	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	49 ft	8	🐾
H10	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
H11	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	49 ft	8	🐾
M01	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
M02	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	8	🐾
M03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	40 ft	8	🐾
M04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
M06	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
M07	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	49 ft	8	🐾
M08	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	62 ft	8	🐾
M09	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	45 ft	8	🐾
M10	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	52 ft	8	🐾
M11	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
M12	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
M13	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
M14	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	56 ft	8	🐾
M15	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
M16	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	59 ft	8	🐾
M17	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
M18	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
M19	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	49 ft	8	🐾
Q01/02	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	16	🐾
Q03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	43 ft	8	🐾
Q04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	47 ft	8	🐾
Q05	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
Q06	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	8	🐾
Q07/08	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	53 ft	16	🐾
Q09	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	50 ft	8	🐾
Q10	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	58 ft	8	🐾
R01	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
R02	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	57 ft	8	🐾
R03	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
R04	BCIR	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	64 ft	8	🐾
R06	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	48 ft	8	🐾
R08	BCIR	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
BVS	BVSH	Group Picnic Area	Back In	Gravel	—	24	🐾

Getting there

From Moravia, IA, travel 10 miles west on Highway J18 and follow signs into the campground.

40.87861, -93.02667 · 40°52'43.0"N 93°1'36.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 85°F in Jul, down to 31°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	31	37	50	62	71	81	85	84	77	65	50	37
Low °F	13	16	28	39	51	61	66	64	54	42	29	19
Precip in	1.1	1.5	2.0	3.9	5.4	5.2	4.6	4.6	3.8	2.9	2.0	1.5

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 7.9 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

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Common questions about Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)

Can you reserve a site at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?: Yes, Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake) is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake) have?: 104 sites.
What is the maximum RV length at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?: 159 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?: Yes, pets are allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake).
Does Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake) have hookups?: Electric.
Are campfires allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)?: Campfires are allowed at Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)

Island View (Rathbun Lake) 6.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Prairie Ridge (Rathbun Lake) 7.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Buck Creek (Rathbun Lake) 8.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Whitebreast Camp 33.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
North Overlook Picnic Shelter (Ia) 33.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
South Tailwater Picnic Shelter 33.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Howell Station 33.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
South Overlook (Ia) 33.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
North Tailwater Picnic Shelter 34.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Miner's Retreat Enclosed Shelter (Ia) 34.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
North Overlook Camp 34.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Whitebreast Point Shelter (Ia) 35.6 mi · Campground · we watch it

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Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.